


Cheque Amount: N/A

by Kelly_Namikaze



Series: Roxas 4/5+1 things [2]
Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fight Club Fusion, Brothers, Explicit Language, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, Minor Injuries, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Organization XII is an underground bar/fighting ring?, Secrets, Underage Drinking, bc Roxas, dont ask i don’t know either, ive never seen the movie but like, well kinda
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-10
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:34:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25105546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kelly_Namikaze/pseuds/Kelly_Namikaze
Summary: Five times Roxas fought for a cheque.One time he fought for himself.
Relationships: Axel & Roxas (Kingdom Hearts), Roxas & Leon, Roxas (Kingdom Hearts) & Cloud Strife
Series: Roxas 4/5+1 things [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1485125
Comments: 4
Kudos: 7





	1. Cheque Amount: $950.00

**Author's Note:**

> So I like pain apparently. Less angsty then my other stuff on this boy, but I don’t think that’s hard, considering. Anyways, please enjoy!

Roxas always knew he’d end up like this.

End up like what? You may ask.

Well, he’d never thought about the specifics, but he’d always known that ever since that first detention in third grade for protecting Olette that he’d end up in a place like this, with a choice.

“Hey kid, getting nervous?” A demented grin was showing on Vexen’s face, and the blonde sneered in response. He didn’t seem phased, but pleased instead. “Good. Master Xehanort has no place here for weaklings.”

He was still in the dressing room when the taller man walked off, probably looking for other people to jeer at. Roxas stared down at the duffle bag Lea- no,  _ Axel,  _ had helped pick out for him.  _ “Trust me, this’ll be better than jeans and a t-shirt.” _

He didn’t know about that, pulling out the clothes that were almost pure leather. But the floor length coat was at least aesthetically pleasing, his inner angsty teen almost purring at the thought. But that brought him back to the decision he had to make.

Put on the coat and go fight Larxene, or put it down and go home. Hug his brothers, maybe even be a bit sappy and tell them that he loves them. 

But then he remembered how Leon had come home more and more often with stress lines on his face, trying to put on a brave face for his siblings. The final notice flashing in his mind, an enormous number to Roxas’ fifteen year old brain, nothing that his brother could come up with on short notice. Cloud helping out more and more, the pity in his eyes as he brought in bags of groceries.

Pulling on the coat Roxas sighed, trying to focus on the money pile at the end of the tunnel. Hearing music start up he moved quickly, wrapping his fists as best he could, only having been shown how to do it once. 

The club was almost pitch when he got out of the tiny changing room, making him squint to see properly. Then he saw Axel there waiting for him looking so  _ different _ to what Roxas was used to, he almost flinched away from the hand that landed on his shoulder. “Looking  _ good _ . You ready Roxy?” 

Numbers in red flashed through his mind as he swallowed his fear, nodding his head. “Sure. I just have to win?”

Green eyes danced as the redhead laughed. “Yep, and you’ve got Larxene. She’s good with her knives, but since you don’t gotta worry about em’, you should be fine. Plus even if ya lose, you still get a cut depending on how the betting works out. Think it’ll be fifty-fifty, considering.” Axel held up a hand to measure the blonde’s height.

“Really?” He asked, a frown appearing on his face as he was reminded that he  _ still  _ hadn’t reached his growth spurt, barely 5’2”.  _ Axel _ on the other hand was twenty and 6’4”, which was always a point the redhead poked at when they hung out.

The taller hummed. “Yep. Time for you to get up there though. Got everything memorized?”

A strange calm came over the teen as he nodded, walking towards the cage set up in the center of the club, lights turning on as Larxene was introduced, catcalls and jeers coming in equal measure. As he stopped in front of the door, static built in his ears and he could only distantly hear him being introduced.

“And tonight, ladies and gentlemen, is the debut of our newest member! The mysterious Rox!”

Saix stood in between the two blondes, a bored look on his face as he began to state the rules. “Alright, rules are simple. No below the belt hits, and first one to knockout wins. There are no technical knockouts, your opponent must be unconscious. Try not to kill each other.” He stepped to the edge of the cage before continuing. 

“Begin.”

The woman- Larxene, was fast. But that didn't seem to be a problem to Roxas as he dodged out of the way of her rush, managing to catch her in the side as she retreated. Her eyes flashed gold in annoyance, but Roxas simply ignored her comment, barely even able to hear it over the static that continued to invade his mind.

They traded blows for a minute or so, breaking apart to take a breather. The younger’s limbs felt light and airy, most likely attributed to the adrenaline that was fueling his actions. When the woman readied herself again, Roxas was too slow to react and was hit directly in the nose with an open handed strike.

And the static took over.

“-that was amazing Rox! I’ve never seen you fight like that. Granted, this was your first night, but still! Didn’t know you had it in ya.” The blonde being addressed blinked a couple times, eyes struggling to adjust from the extreme brightness back to the darkness of the floor.

Axel had an arm around him, leading him towards the bar as he continued to babble. Hadn’t he still been in the middle of a fight? Roxas tamped down on his confusion as he was set down on a barstool and handed a shot of something. “Wha?” He asked, quickly finding that something on his face hurt like a bitch. Scrunching his face was the opposite of helpful, and Axel chuckled at the younger.

“Yeah, it’s just a shot of vodka before I reset your nose. She broke it pretty bad before you knocked her ass out.” The redhead had one of his own in his hands, already poised to shoot it back.

Simply nodding at the given information, (He didn’t remember any of this, and that scared him) Roxas threw back his shot, a grimace and coughing following soon after. “Thads awbful.” 

“Trust me, it gets easier. This is gonna hurt like hell though, so take a deep breath.” The younger didn’t even have time to process what Axel meant by that before his hands were on his face and something clicked and burned. Roxas bit down on his cheek to stop from crying out as an ice pack was placed on his nose. Blood welled in his mouth, and he forced himself to swallow it. 

“Fuck.” He cursed when he finally felt like he wouldn’t scream when he opened his mouth. 

Axel looked impressed as another shot was pressed into the fifteen year old’s hands. “Surprised you didn’t make a sound. You’re probably hurting though, so drinks are on me tonight. Xemnas will get you your check tomorrow.” He kept getting passed more and more alcohol, and it was making Roxas feel less like his face was on fire, so he drank them as they came.

And he fell into oblivion for the second time that night.

The next morning sucked, and Roxas thanked every god he could think of that Lea (Axel, or are they really that seperate?) had blackout curtains in his apartment. A glance at his phone that made his head pound showed that he had slept well into the afternoon, and he should probably think about calling Leon to tell him that he’d probably be spending another night with a friend.

A glass of water and a bottle of painkillers sat on the bedside table, a note next to it that amounted to: you have free reign of the place, should be back before dark. A check laid face down next to the note, but the blonde wasn’t ready to see just how much a broken nose was worth. Sighing, Roxas took the offered meds, washing it down before finally standing. 

Instead, he fell right back onto the bed. It seemed he’d have to work himself up to that point. Slowly he started moving his legs, feeling they seemed especially heavy that day. Unsurprising to say the least, but still disappointing.

Just as he was about to stand once more, his phone started ringing with a very familiar ringtone. Little Lion Man played as his phone buzzed and Roxas was very tempted to just let it go, but knew that it’d be prolonging the inevitable. “Hey Leon, what’s up?”

“Oh nothing, just wondering where you were considering I just talked to Xion and she told me that she hasn’t seen you all weekend. Which I thought was odd, considering how you told me you were going to have a movie marathon with her. Then, I thought about why you’d lie to me. Surely it’s not because you’re hanging around someone I told you to stay away from, right?” Roxas winced at how he seemed to yell without even raising his voice, and hung his head.

“I-I” The blonde tried to think of an excuse.

His stuttering was cut off before it could truly begin though as an eerily calm voice came over the line. “ _ Roxas _ . Are you at Lea’s?”

“You can’t get mad.” Roxas pleaded.

“I will not get mad at this exact moment. Answer.”

The blonde sighed in defeat. “Yes, I’m at Lea’s.” The silence was interrupted only by the static crackling over the line for a full minute as Roxas shifted nervously.

“I want you home before dinner. That means six. No excuses.” A deep breath was heard over the line. “I love you Roxas.”

“Love you too. See you soon.” Before Roxas could say anything else, the line went dead and the blonde was left cold, any warmth left over from Axel’s note leached out of his body by Leon’s chilly goodbye. 

Fully awake, adrenaline from his brother’s call washing away any chance at going back to bed, he stumbled to the bathroom. Quickly relieving himself, Roxas finally stood at the mirror staring himself down. He didn’t look terrible, at least. Sure his nose was swollen, and his eyes looked slightly sunken in from the hangover, but he didn’t look half as bad as he thought he was. The blonde couldn’t remember most of last night though, so that wasn’t extremely surprising.

A shower sounded like heaven though, stripping down immediately and stopping again as he stared at the mirror. His torso was mottled with bruises, a fairly light purple at the moment that he knew would darken in the following days.

“Good thing I’m not planning on going swimming anytime soon.” Roxas mumbled to himself, stepping into the shower, careful of his bruises and nose while he washed quickly.

Stepping out he got dried and dressed, reaching for his phone to see that it was already four, and Axel should be home soon. Roxas wanted to see him before he left, take some comfort in the redhead before facing down Leon’s disappointed stare and Sora’s puppy dog eyes. The bank was also on his list of things to do before arriving at his house.

Speaking of, he should probably take a look at his painful paycheck. The blonde was pretty sure it was the better alternative, fighting people who had chosen to do these things, as opposed to something like selling drugs or… other physical activities. Wandering back to the guest room, he flipped the slip of paper over to see… over nine hundred dollars. Which was awesome, because that was like half of what he needed. 

Roxas held back the tears that threatened while he stared at the numbers, gripping the paper as tightly as he could, as though it might disappear at a moment's notice. 

_ Nine hundred dollars. And fifty. _

He was still staring at it ten minutes later when the front door of the apartment opened. “Roxas! I know it sucks but you can’t sleep all day!” The redhead hollered from the living room, setting some bags down on the coffee table before he started towards the guest room. “Roxas?”

A knock on the door before it opened and Axel stared in confusion at the straight backed blonde, coming to rest his head on Roxas’ shoulder. “Oh, yeah. I guess the paycheck was a bit low this week. Betting should be better once it gets warmer out, and you’re up against slightly tougher opponents.”

The blonde let out a wet laugh. “That’s good to know.” Axel looked at his friend in confusion, raw voice catching his attention.

“You alright?” He asked, Roxas clearing his throat before turning and wrapping his arms around Axel, who was slightly startled.

“Yeah, just… thank you.” The blonde murmured, clinging to his friend even harder.

Axel smiled, petting the shorter one’s hair. “Anytime bud. Do you want a ride home tonight, or are you gonna stay another night? I don’t mind either way.” Roxas groaned loudly at the reminder of what he would face when he got home. “Did something happen?”

“Leon’s going to kill me.” The redhead chuckled.

“Xion accidentally spill the beans?” He asked.

Roxas pulled away, sitting down on the bed. “Yep, and I’ve gotta figure out a way to cover this.” He waved a hand at his nose that was swollen and a quickly darkening purple.

“I can help with that. What time do you need to be back?”

Axel began dragging the younger to the bathroom once more, digging out a bag out from underneath the sink. Makeup spilled out from it when the redhead dropped it on the counter, immediately rummaging through it. “Leon said before six. Seemed pretty pissy too.”

“Hey, I told you when we started hanging out that he didn’t like me. Never could figure out why, though it may have something to do with Reno and Cloud.” He rambled, finally pulling out a few bottles that looked similar to Roxas’ skin tone from the bag. “Okay, so this’ll have to be quick, and it’s going to hurt because of that, but I’ll need you to pay attention so you can do this yourself later on, okay?”

“Right.” Axel looked pleased at his acceptance, and moved Roxas so that he could see himself in the mirror.

“Good, now sit still.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Do you want me to drop you off at your house?” Roxas frowns at the question and shakes his head.

“Could you drop me off at the end of the street?” The blonde didn’t want to offend, but he didn’t think it’d go over well.

Luckily, Axel simply smiled and ruffled the other's hair. “Sure thing.” Quiet came over the car as they continued, giving Roxas a few minutes to gather himself for the coming storm. Three blocks later, Axel pulled his beaten up sports car to the side of the road and glanced at his passenger. “You okay to go?”

“Sure. I kinda did piss him off, gotta own up to my actions.” The redhead ruffled his friend's hair before Roxas stepped out of the car. “See you later Lea.”

The blond sighed as Axel’s car sped off, a feeling of finality coming over him as he slowly walked down his street. He still had five minutes left, but Roxas could see Leon standing in the doorway to their house, arms crossed over his chest and a scowl that was far deeper than normal marring his face.

Roxas put on a fairly cheery smile, walking up the front step. “Hey Leon! How’re ya?”

Leon raised an eyebrow. “Kid, you’re not Sora, happy-go-lucky isn’t your style. We’re having chili, get in.” When the blond walked by him to come inside, the elder laid a hand on Roxas’ shoulder. “I’m glad you’re safe.”

Roxas suddenly wasn’t _as_ worried about later.

~~~~~~~~~~~

After dinner dishes had been done, Leon and Roxas sat at the kitchen table while Cloud and Sora played some video games in the living room. Leon raised the cup of tea (not coffee, because he had enough trouble sleeping as it was), to his mouth and took a sip before deciding to talk, Roxas squirming lightly in place. 

“You know I don’t like Lea.” Was his opening sentence, and Roxas rolled his eyes. “You know this, yet you insist on interacting with him. Why?”

“Because you’ve never told me why you don’t like him, and he’s never given me a reason to not hang around him. Sure, he’s older than I am, but we’re just friends. And Xion’s older than me too, so if that’s it then I have to call bullshit.” Roxas enjoyed the look of thoughtfulness and… relief? On Leon’s face. “Wait, did you really think that we were together?!”

Leon huffed at the accusation, looking away briefly. “When you’re together… you give off the feeling that you’re very close. But that’s not the point. Roxas,” And Leon was looking him in the eyes again, oh joy. “His family has a history of being involved in illegal activities. His older brother worked as a cleaner for ShinRa, still does in fact. And while he’s never done anything yet, you can never be certain.”

“Oh, so my friends get judged for their family ties, but you and Sora get a free pass? You’re such a hypocrite.” The blond held his hands in his lap, hiding how they balled into fists even as his knuckles stung. “So because Reno screwed up, you don’t like A- _ Lea _ ? That’s rich. You ever wonder why Riku’s in foster care?”

The elder frowned at this. “We’re not talking about Sora or Riku, we’re talking about Lea and you.”

“Fine, you wanna talk about me? Talk about how family ties make us less? Make us dangerous? Let’s talk about how I’m dangerous because I don’t know who my parents are! That even if we’re brothers, I share no blood with you!” Silence was heard throughout the kitchen, and the game being played in the living room was paused, no sound emanating from there either. Roxas stood from his seat and glared at Leon. “You wanna talk about past mistakes,  _ Squall _ ? Because I guarantee you, one of our lists is going to be way longer than the other.”

The brunette sharply inhaled, his own glare staring Roxas down, not that the blond would budge. “Roxas, I’m just worried for your safety. For Hyne’s sake Roxas, I didn’t even know where you were! You lied to me, and I was terrified when Xion told me you weren’t with her! You’re fifteen, and that’s still three years away from being an adult!”

Roxas scoffed. “You know what? I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. Don’t tell me that I’m still some defenseless little kid, because I’m really, truly not.” The urge to tell his brother exactly what he had been doing while with Axel was overwhelming, but he bit his tongue as he realized that the blond would never again be allowed out of the house. However, that meant he needed to leave the room. Cash burned the bottom of his pocket though, and he sighed as he dug out the bills in his pants, piling them on the table before fleeing. “Good night, Leon.” He grumbled, hearing Leon make a sound of shock.

Leon picked up the money his youngest brother had dropped on the table, counting it and going pale. “How the hell did he get this while with Lea?” Every possibility was worse than the last, and Leon wanted to go shake Roxas in search of answers, but the elder could hear Roxas’ door close loudly and knew that there wasn’t going to be anymore talking tonight.

_Cheque amount: $950.00_


	2. Cheque Amount: $1350.00

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He couldn’t even speak, couldn’t ask what the hell he was doing in Organization XIII, why he wasn’t following Sora like a lost puppy, or vice versa. Because he could not know that Roxas was under this hood, for Riku would immediately tell both Sora and Leon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so you guys know the TWs for this chapter are: kidnapping of a minor, drugging of a minor, and everything else from the previous chapter. They’re not graphic but it’s there so be careful folks

Sixteen years old now, and Roxas’ fights were now a weekly occurrence, Saturday’s at midnight. A crowd amassed every time, as Roxas had barely grown since that first fight, the favoured underdog who somehow always came out on top. Well, unless it was a weapons fight, still not his favourite days.

With now heavily practiced moves, he wrapped his hands and got dressed in only a few minutes. Something trailed up his back as he walked out though, and the blond kept his hood up as he walked over to Axel, who as usual gave his wolf whistle. Roxas thought about doing something about his friend’s obvious attraction, but Leon would have a meltdown if he started dating Axel, and they had already been drifting.

“Being extra edgy tonight Rox?” The redhead smirked.

He only shrugged. Roxas was still the most mysterious in the group, even a year in. He only ever hung around the organization members, and never really stuck around after his fights were over. “Don’t really know why, but something feels off tonight.”

Axel had a sheepish grin on his face as he ushered Roxas towards the stage. “You know what, you’re probably right. Just remember who your best friend is once you step out of the ring alright?” A valid concern, as he had socked Axel in the stomach before while being led out of the ring.

Stepping in, a flash of silver in the crowd barely registers, Demyx announcing his presence. 

“The underdog you know and love, Rox! And tonight is our newcomer, yet another silverette to add to our collection…. Riku!” The crowd loses their mind as a face Roxas had known almost as long as he’d known Sora’s stepped into the ring. It took every last bit of his composure as his brother’s best friend blinked stupidly at the bright lights in the ring to not call out his name.

He couldn’t even speak, couldn’t ask what the hell he was doing in Organization XIII, why he wasn’t following Sora like a lost puppy, or vice versa. Because he could  _ not _ know that Roxas was under this hood, for Riku would immediately tell both Sora and Leon. There was the issue of this fight though, as he didn’t feel right about beating him up. Especially as he looked… drugged? The male was swaying on his feet, a glazed look in his eyes.

So.

He wasn’t beating up a potentially kidnapped friend.

As Saix finished talking, teal eyes focused on the blond’s form, running at him in a very uncoordinated manner, something Riku would normally laugh at others for. Roxas pretended to try and dodge, letting himself be hit and rolling with the punch just enough to make it not hurt horribly, but not so much as to raise suspicion.

Xemnas was never pleased when they threw matches.

Nevermind Xehanort.

So the match went, him landing light hits on Riku, making it look like Riku was ‘too much’ for Roxas to handle, so on and so forth. To truly sell the event, Roxas let the full impact of the silverette’s final blow hit him directly in the temple, dropping his body immediately after.

Faking his inability to continue wasn’t too difficult, as drugged or not, Riku still had a lot of force behind his fists. Thankfully it wasn’t Axel who retrieved him, as he couldn’t handle any links to the redhead right now. It was too convenient. Suspicious.

Roxas could see Xigbar pulling Riku out and into the locker room as Saix helped the blond out and over to Axel at the bar. They ended up sitting on either side of him, silently communicating until the blond sighed loudly and pulled down my hood. “Two things. One, can I at least get an ice pack? And two, why the hell was Riku here and drugged?” The second question was quieter, but venom laced his voice as he pinned each of them with an ice blue stare.

Axel as usual caved first, Saix barely letting any guilt show. “Well, numbers were dropping for the fights, so Xemnas went… recruiting.” The redhead explained, before rushing off to fetch Roxas an ice pack.

“So.” He turned to Saix. “We’ve resorted to kidnapping. What next?”

The blue haired male’s normal frown deepened, and for a moment Roxas was hit by a homesickness for Leon and Sora so deep that he had to stop himself from leaving for the night as he waited for an answer. “I tried to tell them that it was a bad idea, but that one in particular caught the eye of Master Xehanort, and you know how he is.”

Axel came back soon after, and Roxas snatched the ice pack out of his hands before he could say anything. “Well then, you can tell  _ Master _ Xehanort.” The title dripped with contempt as the blond spoke. “That he can find another highschooler to fight for him then, because I’m done. If Riku isn’t gone by next weekend, I’m gone. If he wants to come back, he sure as shit better not be drugged.”

He swept out of the club, only stopping to grab his duffle bag from his locker, growling at anyone looking his way. Getting to the garage, he quickly stripped himself of his coat, stuffing it in his bag as he mounted his bike. As much as Roxas didn’t enjoy his job, it paid well enough for a cheap motorcycle, so he could get back before the next morning without Axel dropping him off, which was when Leon got really cranky.

It was barely midnight, as the match had started extra early that night. Traffic was fairly quiet as soon as he got out of downtown, letting him pull in at eleven fifteen, storming into the house and trying not to slam any doors. Leon and Cloud were watching some old action movie, and they turned as one when they heard the door open, Roxas ignoring them and heading straight to his room.

Dropping his bag on his bed, Roxas ran a hand through his hair, deciding that he didn’t care what he looked like at the moment, he really needed a glass of water and a hug. Maybe not in that order, but whatever.

The kitchen was closer, so he stopped there first, and only moments after the tap started, Leon showed up in the doorway to the kitchen, arms crossed over his chest but a look of confusion on his face. “...You alright?” He asked, and Roxas held up his hand as he downed a large glass of water in three pulls.

“Stressful night. I’m fine.” The blond swore water had never tasted as good as it had in that moment, filling another glass.

Cloud was there the next time Roxas turned around, an eyebrow raised as he took in the younger’s appearance. “So are we allowed to ask about the outfit or are we pretending that you aren’t suddenly very into leather?” Roxas rolled his eyes as he turned around and Cloud continued. “Or eyeliner and bruises?”

“I couldn’t tell you about the bruises, haven’t seen a mirror yet. Work has a dress code.”

“Where do you work that has a dress code like that?” Leon asked, suspicion and concern in his voice. Thankfully, Roxas had a cover story that others could vouch for as he did work there at times.

The younger shrugged. “One of those all ages clubs, at the coatroom. Friday nights are for the edgier groups. If it interests you, I have multiple themed outfits sitting in my closet.” Cloud snickered at that. “There’s a rainbow crop top and everything.”

Leon still looked concerned but Roxas couldn’t be bothered to care as he went over and gave his older brother a hug, which shocked him. “Are you sure you’re okay?” 

Roxas shrugged lightly and let go. “I’ll be fine, it was just a long night. Goodnight Leon, goodnight Cloud.”

“Goodnight kiddo.”

_________________

The next monday at school was awkward, to say the least. Roxas couldn’t look Sora in the eye all weekend, and that’s not even to mention when Riku came over. 

Needless to say, Roxas didn’t leave his room most of the weekend.

He left extra early in the morning, avoiding interacting with anybody in his house which meant he was there before even the teachers. A full two hours early.

Roxas frowned when he realized that there was no way the doors would be unlocked, skirting around the back of the school to take a nap in the bleachers by the football field. Laying back, the blonde shifted around for a good while, trying to find at least a semi-comfortable position. 

The teen managed to fall asleep just as the track team began practice, the sounds of exercise lulling him further. One of Sora’s friends who was on the team (something with an M. Merry? No, ah, he’d think of it later.) was nice enough to wake him up before they left the field. Now only twenty minutes to the late bell, he opened up his phone and was immediately bombarded with texts from both of his older brothers.

Sora: Hey where r u?

Leon: Did you sneak out again?

Roxas frowned as he scrolled through them as they progressively got more worried.

Leon: Roxas. Where are you? Are you alright?

Sora: U better b @ school when i get there!

The younger rolled his eyes and shot them both a message so that they didn’t go crazy.

Roxas: I’m fine. I’m at school.

Sitting up, the blonde heard his back crack multiple times. “What a drag.” He mumbled, hopping off the bleachers and walking towards the school at a snail's pace, hoping to time it so he arrived just before the bell. He didn’t want Sora to have a chance to sit beside him in math. 

Thankfully his plan worked, managing a seat in the middle of the class surrounded by people he didn’t talk to. He could see his brother out of the corner of his eye shooting him concerned looks, but paid little attention. He thanked all he knew that they had different lunch hours. The day passed with Roxas managing to give Sora the slip most periods, until the blonde’s study block came up.

His twin had recruited Xion. His best female friend looked much younger than she actually was, at eighteen she was still viewed as, well, a child. A flat height of five feet didn’t help with this idea, nor did her stick thinness. “Roxas… Sora told me you’ve been avoiding him.” 

Said teen sighed and closed his chemistry book. He obviously wasn’t getting anything done for the foreseeable future. “Xion. He’s imagining things.” The dark haired girl outright laughed at him. 

“You sure? Because Lea texted me the same thing. Leon and Cloud were sure concerned when you got back from ‘work’ on Saturday.” Roxas could feel the worry almost emanating from her, and he rolled his shoulders uncomfortably. “You can always talk to me, you know that right?”

The guilt settled in his chest like a lead weight, and when a hand landed on his shoulder Roxas frowned. “I know, and I would… if there was anything to talk about.” 

The worry changed slightly into disappointment, and he hunched slightly over the table as it permeated the air. “Roxas, we just want to help.” The blonde’s eyebrows furrowed as he pushed himself away from the table and stood up.

“Xion. You’re my best friend. If I needed help, you know I’d ask for it.” With that, Roxas gathered his things and started out of the library, Xion looking at him with an expression the teen couldn’t figure out. Whatever. It’s not a big deal. It wasn’t.

Except it kind of was.

Roxas knew that Xehanort was bad news. He  _ knew _ . But that didn’t stop him from working for him, because he was one of the few that didn’t bat an eyelash at age which was exactly what he needed. All Roxas had to do was fight, which the blonde had been doing since he was capable of doing so. He knew that there was more than just underage drinking and fighting going on in the bar, but he had turned a blind eye to it because it had never affected him personally. 

But then Riku had shown up, drugged out of his mind, and all Roxas could think was ‘I can’t believe I let this happen.’ People getting hurt was the cost of his willful ignorance, and to be confronted with it was a slap in the face. He couldn’t let it continue, at the very least. But could he really do anything about it?

Roxas didn’t really need the money anymore, not like the first time he came into the ring, but he wasn’t rich by any means. Upkeep for the job itself ate up most of his extra cash, even though he had managed a little nest egg. Enough for him to quit? No, not really. The job paid way more than any other job he could get, as he was sixteen and was still in highschool. So telling the authorities was out of the question. 

He had been there for a year though… perhaps he had enough sway to start cleaning things up. Roxas facepalmed at the thought. Saix may like him because of Axel, but he was far from actually influencing things.

Dismantle the place subtly? That would take time, but he had already decided he wasn’t sticking around forever. Another year, maybe a year and a half. Sabotage the place while he's there, and get the hell out before it implodes. It sounded difficult, but not impossible. The consequences of being caught ranged from bad to worse, but Roxas didn’t know if he could live with himself if he sat idly by again while people suffered.

God damned moral compass.

He’d still need help though. Saix and Axel were out of the question, at least until much later. Roxas would like them to still be friends after everything, at the very least. Riku and Sora were not an option for obvious reasons, Cloud and Leon even more so. His (sorta) cousins Ventus and Vanitas weren’t a terrible thought, well, Vanitas. Ventus was a little too honest and sunny for this.

Wait. 

Xion!

She was perfect. Legal to work there, at least the bar, and too adorable for anyone to suspect her of anything. And if Roxas asked nicely, she’d keep quiet about it too! 

The blonde stopped in his tracks, only now realizing where his feet had led him. Off school property, two blocks down, to the old ice cream shop. Roxas smiled wistfully, remembering the first time he had gone there.

___________

_ A smaller Roxas was walking cautiously beside Xion, who was sporting a cheerful grin, the same height at fifteen as she was eighteen. Lea, with much shorter hair was also there, laughing at his two companions. “Man, you two sure are pipsqueaks. I betcha people think I’m babysitting!” _

_ “Just remember , the shorter we are, the closer we are to hell.” Xion gleefully reminded the redhead, who chuckled and nodded. _

_ Roxas was snapped out of his awed staring when Lea waved his hand in the blonde's face. “You okay there?” He nervously nodded, carefully not blushing in embarrassment.  _

_ “I’m just.. Why are you guys hanging out with me?” The blonde almost shook as he asked the question, worried that he’d offend the older teens. _

_ “Huh? What kinda question is that?” Lea and Xion looked at each other and started laughing. Roxas turned bright red, trying to channel Leon as he frowned at them. _

_ The dark haired girl quickly calmed herself, and turned to the youngest. “Because you looked so lonely sitting there on your own. Can’t have that. And.” Xion stepped close to Roxas and held up a hand to his ear. “Between you and me, Lea is a big softy for sad blue eyes.” _

_ Lea rolled his eyes good naturedly, having stepped to the order counter. “Three sea salt ice cream bars please.” Paying and coming back to his younger companions, he dangled the treats over their heads. “Now children, do be nice. The fate of the ice cream is in your hands.” _

_ “Lea Sinclair!” Xion crossed her arms and stared the tall redhead down. “You shouldn’t be so mean, I was only telling the truth.” Lea sighed at the girl, and held the bars out to the younger two. _

_ “Yes your majesty Xion, how could I have ever been so cruel?” As Roxas reached for his bar, he surprised himself by giggling at the antics of the two in front of him. _

_ “You guys are weird.” He mumbled, opening up the wrapper. _

_ Xion bumped the blonde’s shoulder jokingly. “Well I guess you’re weird too, now that you’re one of us!” _

_ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _

The blonde sighed, looking downwards. It had seemed like forever ago, when he was just starting at Kingdom High. Freshly adopted, and barely able to look anyone in the eye. Xion had spotted him, pointing Lea in his direction, and the rest was history. But it had only been… two? Almost three years.

Taking a deep breath, Roxas pulled out his phone, dialing a number he knew better than his own at that point. “Hey Xion? Do you wanna get some ice cream?”

Cheque amount: $1350.00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope y’all enjoyed! Had some extra backstory this time, and just a little more for characters. Please like and review and have a wonderful day!


	3. Cheque Amount: $2000.00

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roxas’ first weapons night. Cloud is a suspicious boi.

It was only a couple months after his first fight, and some increasingly odd lies to Leon, that Roxas worked his first weapons night.

It was against Saix, and the blonde didn’t know whether to curse his luck or thank the lord it wasn’t someone even bigger. Because while he’s gotten better at makeup, he can’t exactly mask a broken jaw and the blue haired male is nice enough to leave marks he can easily hide. On the other hand, Saix is _skilled_. Either way, he knew it’d suck come tomorrow morning.

Meeting Axel before the match seemed to be pretty routine by now, even as his opponent for the night stood on the redheads' other side. “Rox! You ready for your first weapons night?”

Roxas shrugged and stared at the ring, thinking back on the last month after Xehanort decided he could stay as their thirteenth member. (There had been someone else before him, apparently, but no one told him anything and he didn’t ask.) He was required to come in almost every night for basic training with a weapon of his choice, and while he wasn’t perfect with it by any means, he’d no longer slice any important bits of himself off. “I am prepared to lose flashily.” He stated, deciding he could lean into Axel just this once like he used to at school.

The redhead preened and Saix nodded. “A logical way to look at it. As long as it looks good, people will come back.” 

“You just be your little spitfire self and everything will be just fine kiddo!” Axel ruffled his hair as the lights in the club began to dim, the cage lights being turned up. Saix gave the blonde a considering look before slipping around to the other side to enter. 

“Hellloooo, everyone!” Demyx was having way too much fun playing announcer that night. “Tonight our newest member is facing another first! Rox, or number thirteen, is up against Saix, number seven, for weapons night!” The low cheers became much louder as the crowd was promised blood. “Unfortunately, no blindfolds today. Another time, when our baby is a bit better with his blades.”

Roxas scowled as he stepped into the ring, hood down and more than ready to get the fight over with. Saix stepped in as well with his solemn expression as usual, and two lackeys dressed in full black bodysuits handed each of their weapons, and Roxas had to stop himself from gawking. Because… what the hell was that? Could it even be considered a sword? He would call it a sword, just so that he could move on. Grabbing his own short swords that weren’t anything fancy, but Axel told him they’d get better the longer a person lasted.

Demyx’s voice rang loud once more while the blonde stared at his opponent, praying to Shiva for some assistance. (Leon kept trying to get his brothers into elder gods. Roxas wasn’t interested in religion, but he could use some god level strength right now.) “Alright, let’s get ready to _rumble_!” Yes, the mullet head was definitely having way too much fun.

The bell sounded.

Pulling his sword up to block was the only move he could make as blue hair brushed his face, and Saix’s eyes bored into his, much more intense than a few moments before. Gritting his teeth, Roxas managed to push the elder man away and barely followed up with his other sword which was easily deflected. He was almost swept off his feet, barely jumping as the blade swung at his calves, eyes wide and panicked. (Saix was deadly serious. Sharp weapons were so much worse than fists. He’d never complain about broken noses again.)

Roxas was chased around the ring, only scarcely dodging or blocking each time white metal streaked by him. Occasionally, he’d fail at even that much and earn shallow cuts that stung more than he liked to admit. Tears were being torn in his cloak, and the blonde cursed as a long line was sliced up his arm, deeper than the others. He wished that he could just blackout like he normally did, but he wasn’t familiar enough with his weapons for his autopilot to be enough. (He’d train every damn day after this so he wouldn’t be doing this again.) The crowd was loud and distracting, _without_ Demyx’s play by play booming over the speakers. Each time he was distracted he got cut, so he was doing his best to focus.

There had to be a way to win.

Well. 

Not lose so completely.

Training had taught him one thing at least; always be happy you’re the small one. Saix’s defense was almost perfect but Roxas was bendy and small, which while he resented, he knew it was an advantage. Instead of blocking, he started dodging, hoping to get in close enough that Saix wouldn’t be able to swing his blade around quite so much. Soon enough the taller was on the defensive instead, though Roxas found that even with his proximity, the blonde would have to aim for fatal areas to even skin him with one of his blades.

He was doing good enough that Roxas had thought that he might be able to come to a stalemate, when something flashing in the crowd distracted him for just a second.

A second was enough though, as the blue haired male neatly disarmed him and held his blade to the blonde’s neck. Roxas put up his hands quickly, nervously looking at the giant blade at his neck. “I yield.” He stated clearly and the sword was removed, Roxas breathing deeply.

They were both still capable of walking even if his legs were _jelly_ as the adrenaline drained from his body, a plug pulled. His arms were sore from blocking Saix’s blade. (Seriously, he did not play around.) A few cuts still bled sluggishly, thankfully hidden by his dark coat. Not his usual one, as Organization XIII actually has some sense and has pleather jackets specifically for weapons night, much cheaper than the one he is normally required to wear. All in all, he felt pretty shitty, but he wasn’t bleeding out in the ring, so he’d count it as a win.

Axel was sitting by the bar as usual, with a bottle of bottom shelf vodka and a first aid kit. “You didn’t do half bad, Rox. Saix is a tough dude to beat. Get rid of the coat, I wanna see that arm.” 

Obediently, Roxas shucked his coat as blue hair settled on the other side of Axel. “It’s not really that bad, trust me. He could’ve done more damage, right?” The blonde directed the question towards the blunette who nodded.

“You are required to fight next week as normal. It is only natural I do not cause serious harm.” A pause as he stares at the line that comes a little too close to the veins in Roxas’ arm for comfort. “I was… impressed by your progress.”

A “Thanks.” Hissed through clenched teeth was all Saix was going to get at that moment, as Axel was dabbing a paper towel soaked in alcohol. (Worse than getting his nose broken, he swore.) 

Axel seemed to fill in the rest though, grinning at his old friend. “He’ll appreciate it in a minute or two, because I think this is the first time you’ve complemented someone other than Xemnas since like… high school.”

A dead stare was all he received, though that never seemed to bug Axel as he simply started talking about various things. Mostly about crazy patrons while he’s working the bar, and what the best fights have been that week. It soothed Roxas enough that he was tired and drooping by the time he was leaving. A yawn left his mouth as he started gathering his things. 

Just as he was heading out, Axel caught him at the door. “You think you’re busing home like this? I’ll drive you to your block. God knows that Leon has started waiting up for you at this point.”

Roxas was going to protest, he was, but any energy he had left after the fight had been used up trying to keep up with Axel’s ranting slash rambling. “Okay.” He said quietly, heading to where he knew the redhead’s car was parked. It wasn’t anything special, an old sports car that held two people comfortably (four if you had really short legs. Axel always insisted it was a two seater) but it hadn’t broken down in the time Roxas had known Axel so it couldn’t be that crappy.

Throwing his bag in the backseat, the blonde settled himself in the passenger seat for what was hopefully a nap. Axel got in the car a minute later, and they were off. 

He woke up as the engine turned off and a hoodie was tossed at him. “What?” He mumbled, grabbing the bundle from his lap.

“No need to give your brother a heart attack, right?” Axel told him, and Roxas’ mind finally registered that yeah, bandages up arms aren’t exactly ringing endorsements for his current late curfew. 

Quickly throwing it on and getting his bag, he turned back to his friend before he left. “Thanks for the ride.”

“Anytime Roxy.” Was accompanied with a wink that Roxas ignored with borrowed grace from Xion. Turning onto his street, he walked as steadily as he could to his house seeing no lights on, a small blessing as he unlocked the door and closed it as quietly as he could manage.

The kitchen was dark, but not empty. Cloud sat there, a mug of something hot in his hands. “You’re certainly late. Or early, depending.” The elder murmured, and Roxas rolled his eyes.

“Real original. And I’m not really all that late. Leon just wants me back before dawn Saturday nights. (Even if he always let Leon know. Always.) What’s got you up?” Food sounded amazing right now, like he should’ve stopped for greasy fast food. But Sora’s cold leftovers were almost better as he sat down across from Cloud with his meal and a glass of water. 

The other blonde shrugged. “I have insomnia. And don’t tell Leon, but he snores.” Roxas almost choked on his food laughing silently at the statement.

“No one would believe you. I don’t know that I do.”

Cloud shrugged as if he didn’t care one way or the other. “I don’t blame you. I don’t know that I believe you have a job that pays as well as you do. Or, not legally.”

Roxas froze.

The other continued, heedless of this fact. “And I have never really cared about legalities. However,” and he stated directly into the younger’s eyes (and those eyes, Roxas always wondered if Cloud knew the secret to his parents, but…). “I do care about you. And Leon, and Sora. So if this job is going to hurt any of you three, I need to know about it now.”

Roxas hastily swallows the bite of food in his mouth. “I-no, it won’t hurt them.”

“And you?”

“I’ll be fine.” He stated, turning back to his food.

Cloud nodded as if he was expecting the answer, though there was something in his eyes (disappointment) that made Roxas squirm. “Alright. Tell me if that changes. Eat and then bed. You know how Leon is about Sunday.” And then he was disappearing down the hallway, and Roxas was left in a dark kitchen at three am thinking about Cloud’s words.

Cheque amount: $2000.00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A much shorter chapter this time, but I liked how it flowed and so here it is. Next one is promising to be long though! Hope y’all enjoyed, please like and review and have a wonderful day!

**Author's Note:**

> Hope y’all liked the first bit! I’ve had this kicking around in my drafts for a while and thought it was neat enough to post. If you have any questions about this au, please don’t hesitate to ask! Have a wonderful day!


End file.
